Read Message

Toss around ideas and brainstorm your story.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by Anubis on 12/25/2009 16:24 EST

or your mom's wall. Heheheh.

Anyway, I've been pre-writing this story and was thinking, "How crazily can the fourth wall be broken before the story becomes too confusing?" In this story, the protagonist has mind-reading abilities and right now in the story she is dealing with the stress of being able to hear thoughts from surrounding people without effort. I was thinking that she could find out that she's in a story because she reads her teacher's mind. Should this be kept to a minimum of just comedic breakage of the fourth wall, or should it factor into the story more seriously?

Oh, and this is a novel, not a CYOA. Just in case you were wondering.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by JJJ-thebanisher on 12/25/2009 16:27 EST

How does her teacher know she's in a story?

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by Anubis on 12/25/2009 16:38 EST

Well that's the joke. Should I take the joke further than that?

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by JJJ-thebanisher on 12/25/2009 16:40 EST

I don't get it at all. The joke is that the teacher knows it's a story?

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by Anubis on 12/25/2009 16:44 EST

Yesh. It's dramatic irony.

Whatever, nevermind. I just wanted to write "Breaking the Fourth Wall." Essentially I was wondering if I should change the story...WHATEVER. HAPPY KWANZAA.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by SilverMan on 12/25/2009 23:54 EST

Although it is of course up to you, unless this is the direction you want the story to take direction (Like having the main charcter trying to escape from her story), I would just leave it as a little comedic relief.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by Trzcina on 12/26/2009 12:17 EST

I'd agree with SilverMan on that. Although breaking the fourth wall even for comic relief can do nothing but make me think of Deadpool. So, take it or leave it, that's the association I'd have.

...I wouldn't want my characters to break the fourth wall. They'd probably spend more time insulting/trying to harm me than being comedic.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by Anubis on 12/26/2009 20:12 EST

rofl Well I might make another story about the main character trying to escape the story, which honestly sounds hilarious and full of potential drama. Awesome.

The reason I was considering making a such a crazy plotline is because my story is about a girl with mind reading abilities and as such I have a chance to make the story very crazy and psychodelic. So I'll just stick to the base story.

Aight, thanks for the help.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

by Zero on 12/27/2009 14:13 EST

I saw a movie called "Funny Games" wherein they break the fourth wall quite often, and it's pretty well done. The movie itself is pretty trippy, and it's probably one of my favorites - very good acting.

Anyways, when I read the beginning of your post, I thought you were going to take it in a different direction. I thought the girl was going to read the reader's mind, and find out she's actually in a story that way. I kinda like that idea. Mine! Don't steal it; it's mine! Yah, hear!? Stay away from me gold! >:(

Hm, no, seriously, I think that if you were to go at it that way, you'd just have to make sure you actually know what the reader's thinking... which shouldn't be a problem, considering you're the one manipulating his/her thoughts and feelings via your writing. So, yeah. I don't know. Dicks belong in your mouth, etc etc. Good luck.